Hypodermic needle rack



I March I6, 1943. L. wALLlN V HYPODERMIC NEEDLE RACK Filed May 16, 1942 Zmverltor; LUREH WnLL/N Gttorneg s `Patented Mar. 16, 1943 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE HYPODERMIC NEEDLE RACK l Loren Wallin, Wadesboro, N. Cf Application May Y16, 1942i, Serial No. 443,241

(Cl. 2li-69) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a rack for hypodermic needles having novel and useful features `hereinafter set forth.

.moisture will rreaclilydrain therefrom and so 4that the operator can most conveniently attach and` detach the needles to and from the syringe. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a hypodermic. needle rack capable of supporting the needlesiin a convenient and' accessible position for the operator, and at the lsame time maintaining the needles in a position which will afford the necessary drainage 4for the needles and for the pockets holdingthe heads of the needles. The specific structure of `the'needle `rackfor support comprises a pair of substantially parallel bars which are ysupported by end frames.` The topside of teach bar has a plurality of inwardly and downwardly inclined notches therein which conform to the shape of a hypodermic needle butt.

The ends of the notches are restricted so that when avneedle i's placed in the notch, it will be held in an inclined position thereby presenting the upper `end of the needle butt in a more convenient and accessible position tothe operator. As aimeans forf'permitting the moisture to drain from-"the notch holding a needle butt, a groove is provided in `the lower end of each inclined notch. i

` It is another object of this invention to provide `a hypcderinic needle rack` of the class described in which the inclined notches in one barare staggered withrelation to the notches in theother bar, thereby `providing means for holding the overlapping lower ends of adjacent needles in spaced `relation `to each other, and yet close enough together to have a compact assembly. By providing a-structure of this type the points of the needlesare held between, and somewhat below, the .'two parallel bars, and therefore the bars protectthe points from damage and thus insure efficiency and Vprolonged life loi' the needles.

1 It` is another object of this invention to provide' a' needle `rack as above described in comalong the 'line bnation with a bail for handling the same, thereby making a portable unit. The rack may be carried on a tray or by hand from the sterilizing room to any part of the building, such as the clinic room without contaminating the needles or rack.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric View of my improved needle rack;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 2,2 in Figure 1 and showing the present device used in association with a hypodermic nedle syringe;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of the needle rack showing the relative positions of the needle Shanks in dotted lines;

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional View taken 4--4 in Figure 2, but omitting the needles;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View taken along the line 5--5 in Figure 2, but omitting portions of the needle and attached syringe;

Figure 6 is an isometric view of one of the needles which is adapted to t ,inV the needle rack;

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing a slightly modified form of support for a difierent type of hypodermic needle; i

Figure 8 is an isometric view of the `type of needle shown in Figure '7.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numerals l0 denote suitable end frames, each of which has inwardlyinclined shoulders Il on the upper ends thereof. In otherrwords, there are a pairofinwardly inclined shoulders associated with each end frame. These' shoulders'are adapted` to support a pair of spaced parallel bars I2 which vare adapted to be secured theretoby any suitable jmeanssuch as screws i4. Except for the fact thatthe pockets in one of the bars I2 are staggered with relation to pockets in the other bar,` the structure of the twov barsis identical. Therefore al description will be made .of one of @the pockets in one bar l2 `and like reference characters will be given to the pockets in the associated parallel,f bar.

The pockets in each of the bars are `broadly designated by the reference characters i6. It

`can be seen by observing the drawings that the vshape of :the pockets is made to conform to the butts of a hypodermic needle l'l` such as illus7 trated in Figure 6. This needle has a substantially square butt I8 in which a bore I9 is provided. This bore I9 is of such shape and. size as to receive the orifice projection 20 on the lower end of syringe ZI (see Figure 2). The butt I8 of the needle fits into the enlarged pocket or cavity portion 22 in the manner shown in Figure 2 and the lower and upper ends of the cavity 22 are restricted as at 24 and 25, thereby conning the butt within the pocket I6. When the butt I 8 of the needle is positioned within the pocket IS, the projecting orifice 20 of the syringe may be easily inserted or removed from bore I9 because the restricted end portions 24 and 25 hold the needle in position.

The ends of cavity 22 indicated by reference characters 24 and 25, are open so as to permit easy removal of the needle from the pockets I.

In order to provide for drainage of the pocket I6, a small groove 2l is provided in the lower end of pocket IB, This groove provides a means whereby liquid which drains from the butt I8 may flow from the pocket.

Another very important advantage in the disclosed structure is the inclination of the bars I2, as aorded by the inclined shoulders II. When the needles are placed in the pockets I5, the pointed ends thereof are held in a downwardly inclined position. Furthermore, the needle shanks in many instances will overlap each other as shown inFigures 2 and 3. Whenrin this inclined position, the opening I9 in the needle butt lis more accessible tothe operato-r when attaching to or detaching syringe 2I from the needle butt I8 than would bethe case should the needle be in a horizontal position. This inclined position also makes drainage more easily accomplished. It also results in preventing slippage of the rack when a needle is being attached to a In' order to make the assembly portable, a suitable bail 30 is provided. This bail 30 has :a loop 3| Vnear its upper central portion and also has suitable pivots 33 which are secured to the upper central portion-of the end frames Ill. Normally when the rack is Vinthe position to be used, the upper portion of the bail 3l) rests across the upper open ends of the pockets I6.

In the actual operation of the device, `all of the pockets in the needle rack are usually filled with'the exception of one and this is permitted to remain vacantso that the needle which is attached to the syringe 2I may be deposited therein after use.v This leaves a vacant notch or pocket between the used and unused needles. The operator uses one needle at the time and then replaces it in a pocket until the entire number Yof needles from one bar I2 are used. Then the bail 30 is rotated over on top of this used bar and then the same operation is repeated for the oppositely disposed parallel bar I2. Y

Figures 'l and 8 show a slightly modied form of structure which is employed for accommodat- V ing a different Ytype of hypodermic needle. This structure comprises a bar I2awhich bar Vhas a v Y notch 38 near the upper end thereof or" suitable size and shape to accommodate-a restricted collar portion 39 of the hypodermic needle broadly designated by the reference character 40j Adjacent the upper end of the collar 39 is a flange 42 whichiits on the outer and upper portion 'of the bar I2a.Y V'Ihe lower. portion of the notch 33' is shouldered and adapted to abut the butt 43` ofv theneedle 4I). vThe butts .restv in anv enl largedpocket portion 44 which is directly below notch 38 and the lower portion of this enlarged cavity 44 has a groove 45 communicating therewith which affords the necessary drainage for the cavity. If desired another shoulder 46 may be provided adjacent the lower edge of the inclined butt 43, but under ordinary circumstances this shoulder performs -no particular function unless it would be necessary to make the racks so as to accommodate both the needles shown in Figure 6 and Figure 8. It is seen that the butt of needle 40 has a bore 48 therein which is adapted to receive orifice projection 20 of the hypodermic syringe 2l. In this modied form of the invention the open ends of the hole 48 project to the exterior of the bar I2a whereas in the preceding form the uppermost end of the opening I9 is disposed below the outer confines of socket I6, In both cases however the hypodermic nee- In the drawing and specification, there hasV been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specic terms are em- Y ployed, they areused in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims'.

I claim.

l. A' support for hypodermic needles having an'enlarged butt, comprising a framework in cluding a pair of substantially parallel bars, each of .said bars having a plurality of spaced transversely extending pockets therein,- the longitudinal axes of which pockets are inclined with respect to theY horizontal, each of said pockets being adapted to hold a needle butt in an-inclined position, each of said pockets having a lowerY end wall provided with an opening for permitting liquid to drain from `each of said pockets.

2.'A support for hypodermic needles having a shank and an enlarged butt, comprising a framework including a pair of substantially parallel bars, eachof said bars having a plurality of spaced pockets therein, the ends of the pockets being open andvatf least one end being restrictedto adegree that the butt of a needle will not pass therethrough, said pockets in one bar.

being staggered Vrelative to the pockets in the other bar, each of said pockets having a passageway in its lowermost portion to permit liquid to drain from each of said pockets.

3. In a support for hypodermic needles, a member having a plurality of transversely disposed pockets therein the 1ongitudina1 axis of which pockets are inclined with respect to the horizontal, means for supporting the member a substantialvdistance above a table top, each pocket havingV a pair of sidewalls and upper and'lowerend walls, the vbutt of ahypodermic needle being adapted to be disposedbetween the sidewalls, Vthe upper end wall having a notch therein inwhich Y the upper restricted end of the buttis adaptedV Vto rest, the lower end wall also having a-notch therein in which the lower restricted end of the butt is adapted to rest. f

4. A support for hypodermic needles provided with butts having their upper and lower ends towards each other, the ends of the pockets having notches therein for reception of the restricted ends of the butts of the needles.

5. A support for hypodermic needles provided with butts having their upper and lower ends restricted, comprising a stand provided with a pair of horizontally disposed spaced bars, said bars having a pluralilty of transversely disposed pockets on their upper surfaces whose longitudinal axes are inclined inwardly and downwardly towards each other, the ends of the pockets having notches therein for reception of the restricted ends of the butts of the needles, and a carrying bail pivoted at each end of the support, and between the bars, and havingr a radius of such length that when swung to one side the bail will rest on and above the pockets of one bar to thereby indicate that the needles in the other bar are next in order to be used.

6. A support for holding hypodermic needles provided with butts which are substantially of greater cross-section than that of the needle portion, comprising a member having a plurality of pockets having side-Walls and end walls for receiving the butts of the needle, the longitudinal axes of the pockets being inclined relative to the horizontal so that the liquid in used needles will drain from the needle, the upper and lower end walls of the pockets being cut away sufciently for the lower end of the butt to be disposed in the cut-away portion of the lower end wall and- Whereby the upper end of the butt is rendered accessible for insertion of a syringe thereto.

LOREN WALLIN. 

